


Naming the Babe

by TeamGwenee



Series: The Lady's Betrothal [4]
Category: A Song of Ice and Fire & Related Fandoms, A Song of Ice and Fire - George R. R. Martin, Game of Thrones (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, F/M, Fluff, Humour
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-31
Updated: 2020-12-31
Packaged: 2021-03-11 03:41:09
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 683
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28458447
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TeamGwenee/pseuds/TeamGwenee
Summary: Lady Brienne of Tarth and Ser Jaime Lannister have a request to make of Lady Catelyn Stark.
Relationships: Jaime Lannister/Brienne of Tarth
Series: The Lady's Betrothal [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2084391
Comments: 13
Kudos: 68





	Naming the Babe

While she stood anxious and hopeful, _he_ stood careless and callow, his eyes dripping with mirth and lips twisted in humour. So often they appeared, it seemed. Brienne, earnest and eager to please, awkward in her clumsy body but when she had steel in her hand. The Kingslayer, as elegant as a reclining lion, golden and grand and never too far from drawing blood. 

And by each other’s side. That was how they were usually seen as well. 

“Lady Brienne,” Lady Catelyn said warmly, bowing her head. “Ser Jaime,” she added, less warmly. “Do be seated.”

A giantess in leather, pregnant and betrothed, still Lady Brienne looked like a sheepish young girl called before her Septa for a scolding. Ser Jaime lounged beside her, yet still there was a tension in the way he drummed his fingers. 

They wanted something.

“It is about the baby,” Brienne began softly. 

Catelyn’s eyes sharpened on her belly, still flat and hidden beneath her sworn sword’s tunic.

“Is something wrong?” she asked quickly “Have you begun to bleed. I will summon the Maester, if you wish.”

“It’s nothing like that,” Brienne hastened to assure her. “It is just that I...that we...we wish to call her Catelyn, if she is a girl.” She bit her lip. “If it please your ladyship.”

Catelyn sat back, startled. “Catelyn _Lannister_ ?” she questioned, her tongue trying out the sound of the name. A Lannister, named for _her_. Ned Stark’s widow. Robb Stark’s mother. She could only imagine what the North would say, let alone the West.

“Are you sure that is wise?” Catelyn asked Brienne softly. “Some may find such a show of affection for a Northerner somewhat suspect.” At Brienne’s crestfallen face, Catelyn reached out and took her hand. “I say this only as a friend, but you will be Lady of the West. It is vital that you be well received, and I fear that showing too much partiality for a ‘Northern rebel’ will be met with hostility.”

“I had hoped it would be a sign of reconciliation between the families,” Brienne said tentatively. 

“Exactly!” Ser Jaime sat forward. “We wish this peace to last. The smallfolk certainly do. What is a better way of consolidating peace than a marriage? Now, it seems Northern girls are reluctant to wed a Kingslayer, so the next best thing is the trusted friend of Lord Stark’s mother. As Lady Brienne does not bring the Stark name with her, bestowing the name of a Stark wife upon her daughter would make the ties between her family evident for all to see.”

Catelyn could see the sense in that, and the longing in Brienne’s eyes could not fail to move her.

“And, I truly do wish to honour you, Lady Stark,” Brienne said sincerely. “You have been as a mother to me, unlike any I have ever known. You saved my life, brought me into your service-”

“And brought the two of us together,” Ser Jaime added with a wry smile. He chuckled as Catelyn’s lips tightened at this revelation. “Come now Lady Catelyn, had you not placed my welfare into Lady Brienne’s capable hands, we would never have found each other, and it is unlikely the North and South would be having these peace talks. As little as you would like to admit it, Catelyn Lannister is an eminently suitable name.”

With Brienne’s blue eyes staring pleadingly at her, Catelyn found it was not in her to refuse. What was more, she was not certain she wanted to. Her sworn sword had become very dear to her, and above all else, this child was Brienne’s. Her first born, and Catelyn would always have it know her friendship.

“In that case,” she told Brienne, clasping her hand warmly, “I would be honoured for your child to be named after me, should it be a girl.”

“Excellent,” Ser Jaime declared, his eyes dancing and teeth bared as he smiled. “And should the child be a boy, may I suggest Ned? I’m sure Lord Eddard would have been very moved to be my child’s namesake.”


End file.
